


Melt Into You

by ferix79



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Back Pain, Bathing/Washing, Caretaking, Chronic Pain, Demisexual Noctis, Demisexuality, Foursome - M/M/M/M, Healthy Relationships, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Massage, Multi, No Sex, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Polyamory, Showers, Spa Treatments, Thats the good shit, They all have boundaries and respect each other, a little hurt and a lot of comfort, i changed my mind, showering together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-09-20 06:41:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9479777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ferix79/pseuds/ferix79
Summary: The boys get massages at Galdin Quay's resort, but Noctis' doesn't go as planned. Cue Gladio taking care of him and lots of comfort.feat. Demisexual Noctis who is still very much loved by his boyfriends, even if they all have different sex drives.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you've read my other story "No Need to Play Pretend", you might recall that I brought up my thoughts on Prompto's sexuality in chapter 3, both in the story and in my notes. I've thought a lot about how all the boys vary in their sexuality and romanticism, and how their differences fit into their relationship, so I wanted to continue exploring that. This is an extension of that, focusing on Noctis this time. 
> 
> This story was 100% inspired by [this scene in Galdin Quay.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUYs0SxMs_o) I really don't think the devs put that scene in for shits and giggles; it's very obvious that Noct either doesn't like other people touching him or has some back problems (maybe from the attack when he was young) or likely both.
> 
> Anyway, Ive been thinking of writing this for a long time, but when I woke up this morning the idea GRIPPED on to me and would not let go. So here we are.

“Let’s all go get massages, Noct!” Prompto had said, “It’ll feel so nice! We deserve it!” 

They had had a long week, a long _couple_ of weeks, and Ignis had finally caved and agreed that they had more than enough gil to spend a couple of nights at the luxurious Galdin Quay resort. Free massage and spa services, excellent cuisine, posh rooms and no shortage of places to relax were only a few of the benefits the resort touted in its advertisements. Noctis, himself, was looking forward to the abundance of fishing spots. 

So they had spent the first afternoon and night getting settled in, enjoying their first decent shower in days, and then eating and laughing at the bar with Coctura while getting pleasantly buzzed on cocktails. Afterwards the four had split into pairs—Gladio with Noctis and Ignis with Prompto—and collapsed into their respective beds in a heap of limbs. 

In the morning they woke slowly, Ignis and Gladio actually enjoying their coffee while Noctis treated himself to one of the restaurant’s gourmet pastries. He’d hoped Prompto had forgotten about the spa, or perhaps gone off on his own, but to no avail. A few hours later he found himself being dragged off to a quiet corner of the resort with the other three and was greeted by a soft spoken masseuse who assured him that he would be gentle. 

That promise lasted all of about five minutes in Noctis’ book. 

Noctis hastily pushed himself up from the massage table, startling the masseuse as he leapt up, clutching at his back.

“A-are you quite alright, sir? Is there anything—”

“No, nope, I’m fine. Thank you, I’m just going to…” he never finished the sentence, stumbling away in a mad dash towards their room. Only four stairs—two up and two down—and a handful of feet separated him from privacy, but he didn’t anticipate how much of a challenge they would pose. He barreled forward, taking the first two steps as quickly as he could. His back protested severely as he stumbled under the pain that radiated from his lower back up into his shoulders and down into his knees. It made his legs feel week and he felt his knees start to give out, buckling a little more under each step. Luckily, he caught himself on the counter of Coctura’s bar, composed himself for a moment, then continued at a more modest pace towards the other side of the resort. 

“Noctis, you look hurt…” He heard her voice fade into the distance. He was sure he was attracting stares with his stumbling gait and panicked look, but he didn’t care. As long as he got back into the room, alone, everything would be fine. 

He fumbled in his pockets for the keycard, then swiped it over the sensor with only a _little_ tremor in his hands. He was going to be fine, he told himself, as he tried to stabilize his trembling hands enough to open the door before it automatically locked again. He would be alone and he could deal with the pain in his own way and everything would be okay. 

He leaned his entire bodyweight into the door to shove it open, then staggered inside. The pain in his back flared up again; he must have accidentally twisted his hips the wrong way while opening the door. He could feel the weakness in his knees coming on again. This time, luckily, there was a plush bed in front of him to catch him when he fell. He let his arms and face fall onto the foot of the bed in relief, but he didn’t think his knees would hit the ground so hard. He winced, groaning into the comforter as the pain radiated down from his back and up from his knees. For a precious few moments, despite the pain, he sat still. 

Soon enough, though, he knew he couldn’t keep the position. He eased himself down to sit fully on the floor, then very carefully used his arms to walk himself down so his back was flush against the carpet. The movement was not without some pain, but when he was finally lying flat, his feet flat on the ground and pulled in close to him, he could finally relax. 

The first few breaths were always the hardest. He inhaled deeply, then exhaled and willed all the muscles in his aching back to relax into the carpet. He groaned, feeling the pain radiate up and down his back with his breaths, but he had to persevere. He kept taking breaths, just as the physical therapists of his childhood had taught him, and rode out the pain. He flung one arm over his eyes, groaning as he felt all the muscles in his lower back spasming and trying to relax. 

He stayed like that for some time, eventually timing his breaths with the tick-tock of the clock on the wall. The pain slowly ebbed away, but he remained, lying on the floor and letting his eyes slip closed. He was almost dozing when the door opened and closed again. He cracked open his eyes slowly, blinking blearily at the bright lights of the room staring down at him. Footsteps made their way over to his side—they were heavy, it was Gladio—and he felt a hand in his hair before he saw his partner’s face. 

“Hey champ, how ‘ya doing?” Gladio asked, his voice soft and quiet calm. Noctis tried to will away the anxiety of being touched—this was Gladio, who only wanted the best for him, only wanted him to be safe. The tension from earlier in the day, the memory of the masseuse’s hands and the pain in his back, started to creep back into his shoulders and face. It was _alright_ , he scolded himself, scrunching his eyebrows together, this was _Gladio_ , for god’s sake. 

The hand in his hair moved to cup his cheek and Gladio leaned down lower, “Whoa, Noct, I’ve got you. It’s alright…” he murmured, pressing a kiss to his lover’s cheek, “I’m not going to touch your back or legs until you're feeling better, yeah? No surprises here.” 

Noctis nodded stiffly, his eyes scrunching closed with effort as he started over with the breathing, trying to find total relaxation again. Gladio remained beside him the whole time, not saying a word but letting his hands wander over Noctis’ face. He massaged gentle circles into the Prince’s temples and over his forehead, then slid his hands back into black hair to knead his scalp and behind his ears. Gradually, Noctis felt his body accepting the touch, his brain finally catching up with him to remember that these hands were safe and would not bring him any pain. 

After a few minutes Noctis felt Gladio’s hands leave his face and listened closely as the man shifted down towards his feet. He felt a slight tugging on his leg, and when Gladio placed a hand under his knee, lifting his foot slightly off the floor, he realized that the other man was taking off his boots for him. He blushed a little, secretly loving the intimacy of his partner undressing him, and let himself be manhandled as Gladio slipped off one boot, then another, followed by his socks. 

“Hey baby, I know it feels good, but you can’t lay here all day,” Gladio said, voice barely above a whisper, hoping against a reaction like earlier, “Let’s get you up on your feet and into a warm shower. How does that sound? I’ll be right with you the whole time.” 

Noctis cracked his eyes open again and Gladio had to hold back a laugh. The Prince could deny it all he wanted, but he had a penchant for looking like a kicked puppy when he was upset. Gladio never wanted him to be in pain or sad, but he couldn’t deny that the expression looked absolutely adorable on Noctis’ gentle features. 

“Yeah, no, it’s cool, it’s just…” Noctis trailed off, glancing down at his legs, “I…I don’t know if I can stand on my own right now.” 

“Hey, hey, I said not to worry, yeah? I’ve got you. Here, can you grab on to my shoulder?” Noctis followed his direction, slinging an arm over the larger man’s shoulder as Gladio slipped a strong arm under his back. He settled his hand solidly on Noctis’ lower back, knowing it was where he needed the most support, and Noctis felt proud that he didn’t even flinch that time. “Ready?” Gladio asked. 

They worked together to help him sit up at first. Noctis felt a little pain splinter down his back, but tried to not let it show on his face. He felt bad enough, Gladio having to help him do something as simple as sit up. The larger man moved around in front of him then, setting into a squat as Noctis wrapped both of his arms around Gladio’s neck. He was lifted up slowly, then, with the precision of a man that had done far too many squats in his lifetime. With Gladio’s hands splayed out across his upper and lower back, it turned out standing wasn’t all that hard. 

“Good?” Gladio asked when Noctis seemed to be supporting most of his own weight. The Prince looked up to meet his shield’s eyes and nodded, but he still leaned some of his weight on to Gladio. He felt pretty good now, but he made no promises about actually walking on his own. 

Gladio held an arm out for Noctis to steady himself as they began making their way towards the bathroom. The first few steps had Noctis hunched over like an old man. He stopped, scowling at his own weakness, then slowly straightened up and continued, Gladio patiently waiting for him the whole time. Noctis sighed inwardly; it felt like his three partners were too nice to him, sometimes. He didn’t know what he did to deserve them. On days like this, when the fact hit him that he, the future King of Lucis, was too weak to even walk without help, he felt like he _didn’t_ deserve them. 

“Where are Prom and Specs?” Noctis asked during their slow trek.

“Went to get food I think. Oh, and Ignis wanted help with the laundry. Prompto didn’t want to help him, but I figured it would be better if it was just me here with you. He wanted to help you, but I was worried he’d be a little too excited. Better safe than sorry, you know?” Noctis diverted his eyes, a light blush coloring his cheeks. It made him feel bad, knowing that his partners were worried he was in that delicate of a state, but at the same time knowing he was taken care of was reassuring. 

Once in the bathroom, Gladio helped him sit down on the edge of the tub and began to help him strip down. He turned on the water first, giving it a chance to heat up, then took hold of the hem of Noctis’ shirt and slowly worked it over his head, making sure he didn’t have to raise his arms or twist too much. Gladio’s tank top quickly joined it on the tiled floor. The larger man crouched down then, unbuttoning his pants and lowering the zipper. Without a word Noctis braced his hands on Gladio’s shoulders and pulled himself up to stand again. Gladio made short work of his pants and underwear, sliding them down over his hips and to his ankles. Noctis lifted one foot, then the other, and after his pants joined the other clothing on the floor he was left completely naked. 

He kept a firm hold on Gladio as he gradually turned around and stepped into the tub, careful not to slip. He sat down again, then, enjoying the warm water running over his feet as Gladio divested himself of his own pants and undergarments. The man stepped into the tub, checking the water temperature, and then flicked on the knob for the shower when he was satisfied. 

Noctis accepted the hand he was offered and stood up, letting Gladio maneuver him so his back was to the warm spray of the water. He heard Gladio chuckle as he wrapped his arms around the man’s thick waist, relaxing completely boneless into Gladio’s chest with a moan. Apparently, his reaction to the gentle pressure of the shower spray and the warm water on his back was immediate and obvious.

They remained like that for a few precious minutes, Gladio’s hands tracing random patterns over Noctis’ back. Eventually, Noctis heard the pop of a bottle being uncapped, then felt Gladio’s strong hands start to work their way through his hair once more. Shampoo, he realized, as the larger man’s hands swept from his forehead all the way down to the nape of his neck. Gladio massaged the product into his locks for a few minutes, then braced his hands on Noctis’ back as he slowly guided him directly under the spray, washing the suds away. 

When Noctis felt Gladio pull away from their embrace he opened his eyes, finding Gladio working body wash into a bath sponge. He realized it was likely for him and not Gladio himself, and tried to protest. “I can wash myself…” he said, but Gladio only smiled and leaned down to press a kiss to Noctis’ wet forehead. 

“I know you can, but let me take care of you. I like doing this for you.” Noctis didn’t feel as ashamed blushing when Gladio, too, had a blush painted across his cheeks. 

He gave in, then, letting his shield run the sponge over his neck and back; down onto his chest and under his arms; then crouching to go below Noctis’ waist, over his groin and ass; finally down his legs and the backs of his knees, even gently cradling each foot to wash his soles. As Gladio quietly went about his work Noctis’ blush deepened, though not because he was getting aroused. With Gladio crouched down his head was more or less level with Noctis’ groin and behind, but he never for a moment made any move to try and get Noctis aroused. For that Noctis was beyond thankful, especially since he was moderately confident that Gladio wouldn’t get aroused by the situation, either. 

Earlier in their relationship, before many boundaries had been discovered and set, Noctis had been a little put off by how often the other three sought out sex, either from himself or from each other. He couldn’t blame them; they were all young and in love and eager to explore each other’s bodies further after years of friendship, but Noctis found himself feeling the opposite more often than not. After several tense nights and abandoned attempts at initiating sex, they’d all sat down and talked it out. He thanked the Six that Ignis had been there; it seemed like the man understood what Noctis was feeling better than he did, himself. They had all finally agreed that if they were ever hoping to spend the night with Noctis, it would either be a night of cuddling, kissing and the like or they would have to wait until Noct himself sought out sex. 

Everything had, for the most part, gone much smoother after that. If two of their quad, or even three, were feeling frisky they had plenty of other places to go that weren’t Noctis’ bed. It wasn’t as if he didn’t _enjoy_ the sex—because when he wanted it his partners made sure it was _heavenly_ —he just didn’t have the drive to provide as much as, say, Prompto’s libido seemed to demand. He’d gladly spend a night in bed with the blonde when he was feeling up to it, but otherwise Gladio and Ignis were usually more than happy to oblige. 

He was sure that if Prompto had been in his place right now—and not in pain—the blonde would have already goaded Gladio into fucking him against the shower wall. Noctis, on the other hand, lived for these quiet moments of intimacy. It was these times that he treasured the most in their relationship.

Gladio’s hands trailing over his stomach and hips, washing away the soap, brought him back to the present. When he finished up Gladio reached for the shampoo bottle again and Noctis realized he was going to start washing himself off, now. 

“Wait,” Noctis spoke up, and Gladio turned to look at him, shampoo in hand. Noctis reached over and grabbed the bottle from him, “I want to take care of you, too. Let me wash your hair?” 

The larger man’s face settled into a fond smile, his eyes softening, “I’d love to, Noct, but I’m more than a whole head taller than you. I don’t want you to strain your back trying to reach.” Noctis pouted at the response for a moment, but then placed a guiding hand on Gladio’s own back to usher him towards the rim of the tub. 

“Sit, then,” he said simply and Gladio chuckled, but complied. Even sitting the crown of Gladio’s head came up to Noctis’ chest, but it was a height he could manage. Noctis squeezed a good amount of shampoo into his hand then set to work, starting at the top of his partner’s head and massaging his fingers downward in little circles. Gladio’s hands settled on Noctis’ hips as he worked, thumbs stroking idly over his skin in a silent thank you. When he reached the nape of Gladio’s neck he took the remaining inches of the man’s hair in hand, working the shampoo in all the way to the tips. Even though he was mostly finished, Noctis spent a few more minutes threading his fingers through his lover’s hair, watching the suds foam up in his hands and massaging his thumbs into Gladio’s shaved sides. 

“Uh, okay, I guess I’m done,” he said lamely, his shampoo-soaked hands coming to rest on Gladio’s shoulders. Gladio smirked as he cracked his eyes open, patting Noctis’ behind softly as he stood to move under the spray. Noctis knew better than to reach up and help was the soap away, but he remained pressed up against Gladio the whole time, watching as the suds ran down his chest and stomach. He looked proud of his handiwork. 

Gladio quickly washed off his body after that, not really feeling that dirty in the first place. They’d been at the resort all day, so for once he wasn’t covered in dirt and grime and monster blood. He stepped out of the shower first to dry off his hair and wrap a towel around his waist, leaving Noctis under the warm spray for a moment longer. He left briefly to retrieve some clean clothes from their bags, then returned to shut off the shower. Noctis accepted Gladio’s hand as he stepped out of the tub, but noticed that his back was feeling much better and his legs no longer felt weak and wobbly. He didn’t protest, though, when Gladio wrapped him in a large, fluffy towel, drying him off in much the same way he had washed him, before securing the towel around the Prince’s waist. 

He pulled Noctis in front of the steamy mirror for a moment, flicking on the hotel’s hair dryer and working the excess water out of Noctis’ locks. The Prince’s hair was thin and fine, so it dried off in no time. Afterwards, Gladio shut off the hair dryer and offered Noctis a pair of boxers. 

“Just these?” Noctis asked, raising a brow at Gladio when he noticed that the other man had grabbed sweatpants and a tank top for himself. His partner surely didn’t think he was about to put out tonight, not after the day Noctis had been through. 

Gladio nodded, “Don’t worry, I’m not expecting to get lucky with you,” he reassured, rubbing his still-damp nose and stubble across Noctis’ cheek, then whispered into his ear, “I just thought, maybe, I could try massaging you a little, since you didn’t like the one you got earlier today. So put those on and go get comfortable in our bed. I’ll be out in a little.” 

He was a bit embarrassed that his mind had gone that far south, thinking Gladio would undermine his condition and expect sex, so he took the boxers without another word and pulled them on, leaving his towel hanging haphazardly on the rack as he exited the steamy bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I decided to make this a two shot so I wouldn't _totally_ overload anyone on teeth-rotting fluff. But definitely expect more next time  <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The massage™

Noctis emerged to find that Ignis and Prompto had returned, his adviser standing over one of the beds and sorting out laundry while Prompto disassembled his gun for cleaning and maintenance on the coffee table.

 

“Hey Noct, feelin’ better?” Prompto greeted with a wave, Noctis not missing how the blonde’s gaze raked up and down his mostly-naked form, no doubt appreciating the view. He didn’t really mind, knowing that there was no way Prompto would try to make a move at the moment, “Sorry, I’d get up and kiss you, but you’re all clean and I’m definitely not.” He revealed his palms, covered in grease and polish.

 

“Yeah, sorry for running off earlier. I didn’t mean to startle you guys.” Prompto shook his head.

 

“It’s okay, buddy! We knew you just needed some time.” Noctis smiled in thanks at the blonde just as he felt Ignis take his hand.

 

“Glad you’re feeling better, love,” he said, leaning down to press a kiss to Noctis’ cheek. The Prince returned the gesture, pressing his lips to Ignis’ temple, right above the arm of his glasses.

 

“Gladio took good care of me,” he explained, and Ignis’ expression melted into a knowing smile.

 

“Indeed, he can be quite good at that when he wants to be.”

 

Ignis said nothing more, going back to the laundry. Noctis went about getting settled on the bed he and Gladio had claimed last night, lying down on his stomach towards the edge. Back in the bathroom, he could hear the hairdryer going off again. With it muffled behind the door, coupled with the soft sounds of Ignis folding clothes and the tiny clinks of Prompto cleaning and handling his gun, Noctis could feel himself sinking deeper and deeper towards sleep. The hair dryer shutting off suddenly and the bathroom door opening pulled him out of his doze; he opened his eyes, mind feeling like he was wading through syrup, wanting to see Gladio again.

 

His shield emerged from the bathroom, hair tied back in a small ponytail, and took the time to greet the other two before making his way over to Noctis. He grabbed a pillow and some clean towels then, to make good on his promise to the Prince.

 

“Roll over for a minute, babe,” he gently tapped Noctis’ side, his hands still warm from the shower. He rolled over, blinking awake, and watched as Gladio set out a pillow to support his chest before urging him to roll back on top of it. A rolled up towel under his ankles and one for his forehead came next.

 

“To keep your neck and spine straight,” Gladio explained, “Your spine is very delicate, even more so since you’ve had problems like this since you were young.” Noctis hummed in response as his shield ran a hand over his back briefly before stepping away. He liked the explanations; Gladio really did know what he was doing. “You still got that lotion, Iggy?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Prompto’s eyes lit up when Ignis pulled out a small jar from one of their bags. Honey and patchouli, with a hint of lavender. The adviser had picked it up on one of their many trips to the Lestallum market, sure he would find a purpose for such a heavenly smelling salve. And find one he did, when Prompto later complained of pain in his hands from handling his guns so much.

 

“Oh man, Noct, that stuff it the _best_. You’re in for a treat,” he pressed his hands to his face, blissfully remembering the night Ignis had taken care of him, “Ignis rubbed it all over my hands and arms when he massaged me; I’ve never felt so good, really! He had to carry me back to the bed, I couldn’t even move.” He sighed contentedly, pulling his hands away from his face to go back to his weapons. Ignis sighed and rolled his eyes—the blonde hadn’t realized all the grease and polish he’d just rubbed across his face.

 

“You’d  better not get any of that grease on the upholstery,” Ignis warned, “Into the shower, as soon as you’re done.” Prompto smiled, sheepish.

 

“Anything for you, Iggy.”

 

“Hey, you guys mind if I dim the lights?” Gladio asked, hand already on the switch for the main overhead lights. Ignis gestured, giving him the go ahead, and Prompto settled for switching on a dimmer lamp near the table. Gladio stepped near the bed again and set down the open jar of lotion on the nightstand. Even from the bed, Noctis could smell the sweet, herb-y aroma wafting from the jar. That, combined with the dimmer lighting, already had him sinking into the sheets.

 

The slick sounds of Gladio warming lotion in between his hands filled the room, and he began by spreading the lotion all over Noctis’ shoulders, back and hips. Despite the calming effects of the lotion, he could already feel the muscles in Noct’s back tensing up as his hands passed over. It was an involuntary reaction, he knew, he couldn’t take offense to it. When he was satisfied, the lotion just beginning to sink in to the Prince’s skin, he leaned down to whisper in Noctis’ ear, one of his hands never leaving the small of his partner’s back.

 

“You’ve got to tell me right away if anything hurts or doesn’t feel right, okay? Don’t feel bad, we’ll work it out together; I don’t want you in any kind of pain here.” Noctis nodded his head slightly and hummed, face pressed down into the bed, but Gladio wanted a better confirmation. “You’ve got to speak up just a little; I need to know you understand what I’m asking of you.”

 

“Y-yeah, I promise, Gladio.”

 

“Good, that’s perfect. Now just focus on relaxing, yeah?”

 

He started with slow, wide circles with his palms, beginning at Noctis’ lower back and making his way up toward his shoulders. Gladio kept the pressure light; using just enough to loosen the tension he could feel gathered in the myriad of muscles spanning his Prince’s back. Occasionally, his hands passed over the long scar that had decorated Noctis’ back since childhood. He felt the muscles under his hands twitch and contract even more when his fingers pressed over the rough skin, but Gladio kept on, keeping the calm and relaxing motion going until Noctis finally let his breathing even out. Time for the other side, then.

 

He kept one hand steady against Noctis’ lower back as he moved around him, down and around his feet. The constant skin-to-skin contact was supposed to help keep him relaxed and aware of where Gladio was at all times. Nothing would ruin the massage, Gladio was sure, than his hands suddenly descending upon Noctis’ back without warning. He slipped onto the bed, doing his best to keep his weight from dipping the mattress too much, and continued the motion from before, working on relaxing the other half of his partner’s back.

 

This side was easier to adjust to, Noctis discovered. The more he submitted to the pressure of Gladio’s hands, the more pliant his body became, and he was soon being gently rocked back and forth from the cyclical motions. Funny that they were in a resort over the ocean; he felt as if he was being rocked to sleep by the ocean’s tide. He couldn’t tell if the sound of the waves lapping against the sand was real or just generated by the dreamlike state his mind was wading through.

 

Gladio continued, changing position so his thumbs pressed into Noctis’ side while the rest of his hand stayed up on his back. With slow, sweeping, lifting motions, he continued to work the pain and tension out of his lover’s lower back. His fingers started to press harder into the meat of Noctis’ back as he worked, and he figured this was a good time to check in on his little patient.

 

“Are you doing all right, so far?”

 

Noctis did not answer immediately, fighting to drag words together in his brain rather than just noncommittal moans. “Yeah, it’s perfect…”

 

The shield smiled to himself, proud of his work so far, “Good,” he cooed, switching over to pressing just his thumbs up and down Noctis’ back. From his shoulder blades to the top of his hips, up and down, one after the other in a never ending cycle. Satisfied with that side he gingerly began to move off the bed to work Noctis’ other side, one hand still in contact with him like before.

 

As he reached for more lotion he heard a quiet rustling behind him. Prompto had finished cleaning his gun, it seemed, and was nuzzling his nose in between Ignis’ shoulder blades, mumbling something about joining him in the shower. The adviser finished folding one last piece of clothing, dropping it into the full laundry basket and gladly accompanying the blonde into the bathroom. Gladio smirked, turning his full attention back to the Prince. He was sure those two would find many wonderful ways to occupy each other while he finished up the massage.

 

He continued on for the better part of an hour, changing techniques to use his fingers, hands and knuckles to work out different muscles and pressure points all along Noctis’ shoulders and back. Luckily for him, their other two partners also seemed to be taking their sweet time with each other. It wasn’t that he minded Ignis and Prompto’s presence, not at all, but the privacy only added to the thick intimacy he felt hanging around Noctis and himself. It wasn’t very often that Noctis was able to achieve such a deep level of relaxation and complete trust, so he was honored to be able to witness it.

 

He switched to his lover’s legs, eventually, working the tension down from Noctis’ thighs, through his calves, and all the way out through his toes, paying extra attention to the balls and soles of his feet. He knew firsthand the amount of pressure and wear they forced on their own feet was brutal.

 

All good things had to meet their end eventually, though, and he knew he should start wrapping up. Noctis would no doubt be sore tomorrow; it was time for him to really rest and fall into a deep, dreamless sleep without the worry of anyone touching or disturbing him. Gladio moved back up to the Prince’s back, finishing up with long, steady strokes, encompassing his whole back with both hands.

 

“Noct, you still with me?”

 

Just as he had thought, Noctis had dozed off at some point. Gladio’s voice roused him back into wakefulness, though, as he took a deep breath before shifting his head slightly in Gladio’s direction. “Yeah, still here.”

 

“Great. I’m going to finish up, okay? I need you to stay awake, but just for a few more minutes.”

 

“You got it, big guy…” Noctis murmured, his mouth feeling dry, like he had cotton stuffed in his cheeks. He nuzzled back down into the rolled up towel, drifting in between being asleep and awake as he felt Gladio’s hands slowly lighten in pressure until they were just barely there. Then, finally, the touch was gone.

 

“Sit tight for one sec, Noct.” He heard Gladio whisper and he certainly didn’t have any other plans. He turned his head towards his partner’s retreating form, though, and watched as he returned with a bottle of water. “Can you sit up for me?”

 

Noctis didn’t respond, but gently pushed himself up off the pillow before swinging his legs over the side of the bed. It was hard to focus on any one part of his body, but he was quite amazed at the massage’s effect on him. He couldn’t ever remember feeling so…loose.

 

Gladio was right beside him in a moment, curling an arm around his back to keep him from slouching. “Drink,” he said, uncapping the bottle and helping the Prince hold it to his lips, “it may sound weird, but massage takes a lot out of your body. You’re going to be sore tomorrow, so that means you’re going to be drinking a lot of water tomorrow, too, okay?”

 

Noctis pulled the bottle away from his lips a few moments later, taking a second to breathe. Much to Gladio’s satisfaction, half the water was already gone. “Yeah…” Noctis replied, but his shield could tell he was already gone. He’d probably have to remind the Prince in the morning, but it didn’t matter, now.

 

He helped Noctis stand for a moment while he pulled back the comforter, then waited for him to get settled down on the plush sheets before tucking him in. It didn’t take long for the Prince to get comfortable; Gladio was sure he was already knocked out by the time he circled the bed and laid down on his side, facing his lover to watch him before he drifted off.

 

Sometime later, Ignis and Prompto finally emerged from the bathroom, both looking giddy yet very satisfied. Gladio watched them with one eye for a moment as Ignis shushed Prompto, ushering him under the comforter of their own bed. The quietly rearranged each other for a few minutes until Ignis ended up on his back, Prompto throwing one arm and leg over him before settling his head into the crook of Ignis’ neck, and, finally, everything in their room was still.

 

* * *

 

 

Noctis woke some hours later, unfamiliar with the warm, comfortable surface he was sleeping on. He almost forgot where they were until he turned his head to the bedside clock, the numbers reading _3:28 AM_. Ignis and Prompto were fast asleep in the bed next to him. Galdin Quay, the massage, their luxurious hotel room. Yes, he remembered now. That meant…

 

He shifted onto his side to find his own bed partner much too far away from him for his liking. Thinking back to the previous day, though, things started to make sense.

 

He remembered the pain, but also the never ending amounts of relief and comfort Gladio had provided him. The last, hazy memory he could recall was being snugly tucked in by his shield, and he cursed the other man, though he didn’t really mean it. Gladio wasn’t touching him because he’d already given Noctis so much attention throughout the night; he’d been worried about Noctis waking up and being overwhelmed by his touch, unable to pull away if he were snuggled against the larger man’s chest.

 

_Dammit_ , Gladio knew him far too well. At times like these, it seemed like he was more in tune with Noctis’ needs than he was himself.

 

Well, it didn’t matter now. Noctis was feeling well rested but still very eager to go back to sleep, but only if he could be in the arms of his shield. He prided himself in feeling a little more ambitious and wiggled a hand out from under the comforter to stroke through Gladio’s hair. The other man woke almost immediately, his honey brown eyes meeting Noctis’ blue.

 

“Hey sleeping beauty,” he greeted, reaching up to interlace their fingers.

 

“Can I cuddle with you?” Noctis asked, not caring to dance around the point. He wanted to fall back into sleep easily, while his mind was still sated with the scent of the lotion mixing with Gladio’s own smell.

 

“You don’t even have to ask,” a gleeful smile graced Gladio’s face as he waited for Noctis to roll over, eagerly pulling his Prince close to him until his chest was flush against Noctis’ back. He buried his nose in the baby hairs at the nape of his lover’s neck, pressing kisses to his bare shoulder as Noctis pulled the comforter back over them, all the way up to his nose.

 

It was times like these that Noctis still regrettably felt like he didn’t deserve his three partners. They were far too good to him, and he never felt like what he did for them in return was enough. But maybe just tonight he could cut himself some slack, let himself be selfish and drown in the bliss of their presence.

 

* * *

 

 

_Bonus:_

Prompto and Ignis’ lips clashed together in the bathroom, desperately trying to stay quiet for their two partners outside, but also desperately trying to rid each other of their clothing.

 

“Dammit Iggy, why can’t he massage me like that?” Prompto groaned, grinding his still-clothed hips into Ignis’.

 

“Please, Prom, you act as if he doesn’t spoil you enough already,” Ignis said, smirking in between hungry kisses, “I’m sure if you asked him nicely, he’d be glad to massage you the same way. Noctis has just had a particularly bad day, today.”

 

“I know, I know, but _how_? How does Noct not get turned on by that? I could barely restrain myself, and I was across the room!”

 

“Ah, so it’s a sensual massage you’re after? I could provide that, you know; it doesn’t have to be Gladio.”

 

“Aww, but Iggy, you’ve already massaged me before. I can’t keep asking that of you…”

 

“But what if I wanted to?”

 

“Igniiiisssss,” He groaned again, unbuttoning Ignis’ shirt to better access his collarbone, “Stop taunting me, I’m just…really turned on, okay? Fuck…”

 

The older man laughed, finally hooking his thumbs into Prompto’s pants to shimmy them off his slim hips while the blonde continued to lap and nip at his neck. If just watching another get massaged had brought _this_ out in Prompto, he’d surely have to bring up the idea of a night centered around the blonde to Gladio sometime soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. I really wrote this to be really self indulgent and hella fluffy, so I hope you guys can enjoy it, too. Until next time!

**Author's Note:**

> [my tumblr](http://ferix-writes.tumblr.com/)


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